Samsung gets competitive with $49 Focus 2 with 4G LTE

Samsung and AT&T have announced the Samsung Focus 2, a $50 Windows Phone with 4G LTE that will help bring the fledgling OS to the masses.

Windows Phone has been getting more attention lately with Nokia’s push into the market with the Lumia 710, 800, and 900. While the 900 has been getting the most play because of its huge marketing push, the 710 has quietly been doing well because it’s cheap. Now the Focus 2, which costs just $50 with a two-year contract, can join the 710’s club and be a less costly device for the many Americans who don’t want to pay a lot up front.

The Focus 2 measures 10.98 mm and weighs 4.3 ounces. For specs, the Focus 2 features a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a 5-megapixel camera that can shoot 720p video, and front-facing camera for video chat. Its best feature, and one that’s rare for a $50 phone, is the ability to run on AT&T’s super-fast 4G LTE network.

Frankly, it’s an impressive offering for $50. That said, if we had to buy a Windows Phone on AT&T, we’d jump for the $100 Nokia Lumia 900, simply because its the best $100 phone on the market. The Lumia 900 offers a brilliant 4.3-inch screen, a fantastic Nokia build, and 4G LTE speeds.